1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wind-collecting type wind power generating apparatus installed on a roadside, which performs power generation using traveling wind generated by vehicles traveling on the road.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a wind power generating apparatus generates electricity using the force of wind.
Such a wind power generating apparatus is manufactured in a large size to produce a large amount of electricity, and is installed at a coast or a mountain which is windy to perform power generation.
However, with increasing demand for energy conservation measures, development of small-sized wind power generating apparatuses which produce electricity using a small amount of wind is underway.
As an example of small-sized wind power generating apparatuses, Korean Patent Laid-open no. 10-2010-0032604 discloses “Wind power generating system using traveling of vehicles” which performs power generation using traveling wind generated during traveling of vehicles.
The conventional wind power generating system using traveling of vehicles includes a support unit formed in a vehicle traveling direction on a road and provided with an inlet through which wind is introduced into the support unit and an accommodation unit communicating with the inlet, formed on the side surface of the support unit, a damping induction unit protruding from the side surface of the support unit, extending in the opposite direction to the vehicle traveling direction, inducing wind to the accommodation unit and damping impact when a vehicle collides with the support unit, a rotor located within the accommodation unit and rotated by wind, and a power generating device producing electricity using rotation of the rotor.
In the conventional wind power generating system using traveling of vehicles having the above-described configuration, wind generated when vehicles travel is induced by the damping induction unit, and the wind induced to the damping induction unit rotates the rotor, thereby achieving power generation.
However, the conventional wind power generating system using traveling of vehicles is configured such that the damping induction unit guiding wind allows only wind opposite the vehicle traveling direction to be introduced into the damping induction unit.
Thereby, since wind generated in various directions when the vehicles travel is not used and natural wind generated in various directions is not used, power generation efficiency may be lowered.
Further, if foreign substances, such as stones, are introduced into the damping induction unit, the foreign substances may be inserted between the rotating rotor and the damping induction unit and may thus damage the rotor.